Tickets on Sale for Porchlight's ICONS GALA Honoring Ben Vereen and Paul Lisnek

Award-winning Porchlight Music Theatre announced last night at Chicago Sings Broadway Pop that the 2023 ICONS Gala, Porchlight's signature fundraising event, will be held Friday, Sept. 8 at 5:30 p.m. at The Ritz-Carlton Chicago at Water Tower Place, 160 E. Pearson St. The ICONS Gala features the presentation of the 2023 ICONS Award to the legendary Ben Vereen and the 2023 Luminary Award to WGN's Paul M. Lisnek and also includes a cocktail reception, dinner and song and dance numbers, directed by Artistic Director Michael Weber, highlighting Mr. Vereen's incredible career. Single tickets are $500 and table reservations are on sale now at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org. Sponsorship opportunities are available now. Please contact Development Director Evin Rayford* at evin@porchlightmusictheatre.org for more information.

The ICONS Gala was launched in 2012 and many icons have been honored throughout its history including Hal Prince, Elaine Stritch, Bob Fosse, Ethel Merman and Fred Astaire among others. In 2020, the ICON Award was established to celebrate a notable artist who has made an indelible contribution to American entertainment and has since been presented to living legends Joel Grey, Chita Rivera and in 2022, Donna McKechnie. Porchlight will welcome, in-person, the 2023 recipient of the ICON Award, Ben Vereen, to accept this award.

The Luminary Award is bestowed annually at the ICONS Gala and this year it is presented to Paul M. Lisnek. This honor recognizes an outstanding individual, family or family foundation with a history of philanthropic and volunteer leadership on behalf of Porchlight and music theater in Chicago, and whose generosity inspires others to philanthropic action. Past honorees include Rick and Deann Bayless and the Bayless Family Foundation, Elaine Cohen and Arlen D. Rubin, Jim Jensen, Jean Klingenstein, Dan Ratner and the Ratner Family Foundation.

"Porchlight is looking forward to welcoming Ben Vereen to Chicago to receive the ICON Award which he personifies on so many levels. Mr. Vereen is a living legend who has performed in almost every medium and is a true example of an icon," said Executive Director Jeannie Lukow. "And, Paul Lisnek is someone who has supported Porchlight's productions and performers for years with his interviews, reviews, philanthropic efforts and his presence in the front row at our openings. We are thrilled to present these awards to two people who are so supportive of music theatre."